Hamilton High School Lions

HAMILTON, Miss. (WCBI) — There will be a new man roaming the sidelines at Hamilton this year.

After 11 seasons, Ray Weeks left a void that needed to be filled by the Lions.

Enter Hamilton graduate Josh Baty, who is ecstatic to be at the helm of his home team.

“Being able to come back to the place you graduated from and were successful is great,” coach Baty said. “We’re trying to bring back that tradition and hard work will do it. It’s exciting to be back but there’s a nerve factor as well.”

The players have responded well to the move and have enjoyed having Coach Baty lead the team.

“I like what he’s bringing,” senior Aaron Fontenot said. “He’s trying to bring something new to us and he’s got us excited and eager to get out there.”

“He pushes us every day,” senior Samuel Peloquin said. “He wants us to keep working hard and get better every single day. It’s definitely working.”

You’ll hear that quite a bit if you spend time around a Hamilton football practice: hard work.

The Lions missed out on the playoffs last year and are getting back to the basics, which revolves around the team’s work ethic. But most of next season will be about having the ball bounce the way of the Lions.

“We had some bad luck last year, especially with injuries,” Baty said. “That’s something you can’t control is health. What you can control is hard work.

“The places I’ve been, they’re probably the best group of kids I’ve had as far as being here and working every day.”

“I think we have to finish strong as a team this year,” senior Keshon Heard said. “I think we have a better chance of making it this year compared to last season or two years ago.”

A big cog to the Hamilton machine will be senior tailback Keshon Heard, who has stormed onto the scene with his blazing speed.

With a Mississippi State offer in hand, Keshon is the guy that will get all the attention from opponents this season.

“He’s the kid you have to get the ball in his hands,” Baty said. “He’s that kid that can own the game by himself.”

“I just want to lead and be someone that the younger guys can look up to,” Heard said. “I want to teach them to finish each game and hit the weights hard so they can go somewhere.”

Hamilton will begin the season at home with South Pontotoc then East Union before visiting Hatley on September 4th.